The invention relates to a suspended access platform and, more particularly, to a suspended access platform comprised of a folding floor, folding end stirrups and side panels. All of the components of the suspended access platform are assembled with lock pins. By using lock pins to assemble the platform, it can be easily assembled and disassembled and the floor, end stirrups, and connecting frames can be folded to allow the platform to be easily stored or transported to a different location.
It is often times necessary to use scaffolds, or suspended access platforms, in areas which have little room for maneuvering the platforms, such as through boiler access ports. The platforms must be disassembled to allow the components to be carried through the narrowly confined areas. The platform must then be reassembled once it has been moved to the location at which it is to be used (e.g., inside of a boiler). If the platforms are complicated in design, considerable amounts of time will usually be required to reassemble the platforms. Although it is known in the industry to design platforms to be modular in construction, at present the platforms are generally not foldable in a way to allow them to pass through, for example, an 18" access port to a boiler. Platforms have been created which are able to be disassembled to be moved through narrow openings and which have certain components which are able to be collapsed or folded to facilitate movement or storage of the platform.
Baston, U.S. Pat. No. 5,007,501, discloses a platform which is fabricated from small construction elements, each of which is small enough in size to be inserted through a small access opening in a pressure vessel. The elements are then assembled within the vessel by pinning them together with high-strength pins. The platform is constructed vertically and then rotated to its horizontal working orientation. The platform is disassembled by rotating it back to its vertical orientation and progressively removing all of the elements so that the elements can then be individually moved through the access opening. The platform is comprised of a large number of tresses, each tress comprised of a plurality of members which are bolted together. After the trusses have been connected, deck panels are locked to the trusses of the platform with pins.
Klein, U.S. Pat. No. 4,733,896, discloses a lift container for use in erecting scaffolding within areas which have small access openings. The lift container is modular in design so that it can be disassembled in order to move the constituent parts through the small access openings. The container is comprised of concrete forming panels. The side and bottom panels are fixedly joined by corner brackets in the form of slotted angle irons designed to accommodate wedge bolt fasteners through the slots in the backing frame of the concrete forming panels. The side panels are typically 18" by 8' and there is at least one end panel which is typically 3' by 18". The end panel and side panels are attached by corner brackets which are slotted to accommodate wedge bolts. A plurality of side panels may be joined end-to-end by pairs of wedge bolts.
Newton, U.S. Pat. No. 3,907,066, discloses a wing-type scaffold system which is comprised of a main-cage section having wing sections hingedly connected on opposite sides thereof. The wing sections can be pivoted vertically upward to permit the entire scaffold to be raised or lowered about obstacles which would obstruct vertical movement of the scaffold with the wing sections extended.
Rizzuto, U.S. Pat. No. 2,918,985, discloses a foldable platform extension wherein a plate is attached to a frame by hinges. The plate can be locked in an operative position or folded in an inoperative position. The foldable platform extension is particularly useful as an extension for a step of a ladder or step ladder because in the folded position, the extension will not impair the usefulness of the step immediately below the folded extension.
Savage et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,761,847, discloses a folding ramp which is comprised of a plurality of rectangular panels which are pivotably hinged along adjacent side walls so that the ramp can be folded into a compact state or unfolded into a second state for supporting a load.
As is evident from the above discussion, various attempts have been made to create structures which can be easily assembled and disassembled to facilitate use of the structure or movement of the structure in confined areas. However, a need still exists in the art for a suspended access platform which can be quickly and easily assembled and disassembled and which is comprised of components which can fit through an 18" opening or which can be folded to fit through an 18" opening. None of the prior art suspended access platforms achieve these goals. The present invention provides a novel design for achieving these and other goals.